Climb Every Mountain - Katniss and Company Escape into the Wild
by StarPotterTwilightHunger
Summary: I have only found one really good fan fiction depicting Katniss fleeing with her family into the woods, as she considers in Catching Fire - Let Me Fly on Archive of Our Own. It's pretty good. This is my take on a possible escape, partially inspired by that story - not nearly as intricate, but it gives you good feels and even some humor. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: Loss of Loved Ones

**Chapter 1: Loss of Loved Ones**

It is the middle of the winter, not long after the Victory Tour. After returning from hunting with Gale, I stop in to check on my mother and Prim before then swinging by Peeta and Haymitch's places to see if they would want to take a walk into town. Both of my fellow Hunger Games victors agree.

As we leave the Victor's Village and head for the Seam, Gale points to something on the horizon. "What's that?"

I look. Smoke is billowing in the distance. Right where the Hob would be…..

"Oh no," I whisper. Just then, we see Gale's younger brother, 13-year-old Rory, sprinting up the path.

"Rory! What's happening?" Gale asks. Rory looks stricken.

"They're burning the Hob! The Peacekeepers! Mom and the others are inside…"

We sprint for the black market center. Indeed, the entire place has been torched. It is quickly burning to the ground, with people still trapped inside, screaming…. and there is nothing we can do. We can only watch until it is ash.

Then, Gale sees Peacekeepers hauling charred bodies out of the rubble. But they are not charred enough for him to recognize his mother, Hazelle, and his younger siblings, Vick and Posy. But that's not all. Amidst the dead, Peeta makes out his parents as well as his brothers, Rye and Leven.

I hug Rory as I sob, Haymitch patting my shoulder, as I watch the two boys I care for more than anything weep over the death of their families.


	2. Chapter 2: Convincing the Victors

**Chapter 2: Convincing the Victors**

I wait a few days before going to see Peeta. He is still predictably grief-stricken at the loss of his family, but brightens slightly when I enter.

"Walk with me?" I ask. He nods.

We leave Victor's Village and walk out towards the outskirts of the district. As we go, I explain my plan.

"I've decided: I'm going to clear out. But I want you to come with me."

Peeta looks at me, one eyebrow raised, but I press on. "We have to go, Peeta, before they kill us. And they will kill us. If they could do it to your whole family and my…. cousins, who's to say they can't do it to us?"

"We're victors," he points out.

I shake my head. "That's not good enough. Not anymore. The worse it gets for the Capitol, the more drastic the measures they'll take."

Peeta sighs and then turns to face me. "All right."

I blink, certain I misheard. "What?"

"All right. I'll go with you. Except for you, there's nothing for me here now. I'll follow you anywhere."

Well, that was easier than I thought it would be. Peeta's agreement and words warm my heart, and I feel a smile light up my face.

"Oh, thank you, Peeta!" Before I can stop myself, I throw my arms around him and kiss him on the mouth, firm and deep. I pull away and then run for home, leaving an elated Peeta in my wake.

* * *

OK, so I suspected Peeta would be the easiest of my fellow victors to convince. What amazed me was how quickly he acquiesced to my wishes.

I am not deluding myself when it comes to my mentor. It will take some serious convincing to get Haymitch to go along with our scheme. Thank goodness Peeta is already on my side, armed with his gift of speech to help me.

Haymitch lets us explain our plan to him and give our reasoning in full, out by the district fence one morning, before he leans against a tree in thought. I hold my breath, hardly daring to believe it. A not-immediately disagreeable Haymitch is rare, but can only mean one thing…..

"Nope. Count me out."

I deflate, and find myself getting a little annoyed. "Come on, Haymitch! Were you even listening to anything we said?"

Haymitch glares at me. "Of course I was, sweetheart. It's not going to work. We'll get caught, and be killed anyway."

I see an opening, and seize it. "That's right. Here in Twelve, whether we run and get captured or stay, we'll get killed. But out there - there in the woods - if we succeed, we could _live_ for once in our lives! Now do you wanna live, Haymitch, or do you want to die?!"

My impassioned plea does not seem to move him. "Tell you what. You all split, and I'll stay here and cover for you until the Reaping."

Peeta shakes his head. "Thanks for playing, try again, Haymitch. Even if you could cover for us for the next four or five months till the Reaping, once they see us as no-shows, the Peacekeepers will kill you. Aside from that, do you even hear yourself? You're just going to abandon us, by letting us go and not caring what might happen to us? You'll regret that, because you'll have said goodbye to the only family you've had in decades!"

That seems to stop Haymitch. I jump in.

"Haymitch - you've been all alone and a slave of the Capitol for a quarter of a century. Don't you want to be free? You may not care what happens to you, but I do. Peeta, as well. Like it or not, as much of an asshole as you can be, you're family now. And I won't lose you the way I lost my father."

Haymitch stares at us before wiping his sleeve across his face. I blink in astonishment. Is he crying?

"All right," he gruffs out finally. "But if I die out there, sweetheart, it'll be on your conscience!"

I smirk, triumphant in victory. "I highly doubt that, old man. You survived an entire arena against double the normal odds, after all."


	3. Chapter 3: They're Gone!

**Chapter 3: They're Gone!**

The next few weeks are filled with furious, yet careful, activity. We slowly gather supplies and keep it in storage in the basements of our homes. In the meantime, we go about our daily lives as much as we can. We do very little gathering when my prep team comes to do my wedding gown photo shoot. I indulge them, knowing that - if I have my way - I'll never have to wear one.

Besides, we are just about ready to flee, anyway. Hours after my prep team has left, Peeta tells me he has managed to borrow a cart from his family's bakery. The cover for bringing it up to Victor's Village was, of course, for transportation of baking goods and supplies to his home. Gale reports to me that the fence's electricity has been turned off; evidently, Thread thinks we have gotten the No Hunting message.

"We leave tonight. Middle, long after curfew." That way, we won't have to be around for my bridal photo shoot program or the Quarter Quell announcement tomorrow.

* * *

Just after midnight, I slip out of bed at Prim's shaking and join her and my mother downstairs. I help them gather supplies, before there is a soft knap at the door. Opening it, I see Peeta, Haymitch, Gale and Rory, all of their belongings piled onto the baker's cart. We Everdeens quickly join our things to the pile.

"All right, children, climb on," my mother orders. Prim and Rory clamber into the cart; Haymitch joins them. My mother takes the front end of the cart, Peeta and Gale take the back. I bring up the very rear with my bow.

There is not a sound in the air and the district is deserted as we make our way down the path out of the Victor's Village and then the short distance to the fence. We try hard to not have the cart make any squeaking noises, but it is difficult, given the effort it is taking the boys to push the thing. Peeta looks up, his face taut with the strain on even his developed muscles.

"Comfortable, Haymitch?" he growls pointedly. Our mentor gives him a glare.

" _'Comfortable, Haymitch?'_ " the drunk squeakily imitates in a high-pitched voice before grudgingly getting off the cart and half-heartedly pushing it with one hand.

"I'll go help Heather pull at the other end," Gale suggests, hoping this will prompt Haymitch to actually put in more effort. I am not surprised when it doesn't.

"Are Peeta and Mr. Abernathy going to push the cart all the way through the woods?" I hear Prim whisper to Rory in amazement.

"No. Just until we reach the fence. Now be quiet, Primrose!" Rory shushes her. I can't help but smile at the adorable exchange.

My heart is pounding, but I am relieved when we reach the fence. Dangling over the wires is a pulley rope, the mechanism buried into a tree. I cock my ear.

"Good. Electricity is still off." We can't take any chances, though. I nod to Rory and he slips under the fence quickly, taking up a position by the rope. The rest of us begin to lash our belongings to the rope for him to pull over the fence with the pulley. Then, Rory tosses the rope back to us and we start all over again.

By the time the supplies are over, I can hear the hum of the fence again.

"Rory's going to have to pull us over the same way," I whisper to Gale. He nods. We lash my mother and Prim together, and with some effort, Rory manages to pull them over without hitting the fence, but just barely. From then on, we go one at a time - Haymitch, then Gale, then me.

Peeta is last of all. He faces the now empty cart. "Just like we talked about, Bread Boy," Gale hisses. My pretend lover nods. Then Rory pulls. As Peeta rises into the air, he kicks out with his foot, hitting the cart and having it roll down the path. As soon as the cart starts to move, Rory pulls faster. Peeta half-falls to the other side of the fence, and scrambles to his feet.

"Run." We do as he says, turning tail and fleeing into the woods.

* * *

 **Four Months Later**

Head Peacekeeper Thread hates the Reaping. He has despised it even just watching it on television, but having to run one in an outer, loser district is even worse.

Still, this Quarter Quell will have former Victors returning to the arena, so that makes it interesting. The little Everdeen bitch will go back in and die for sure. Whether her boyfriend or that drunk goes with her, he does not know. And frankly does not care.

Thread waits as all in the district gather for the Reaping. Soon, Effie Trinket comes to the microphone and gives her usual spiel.

"As always….. ladies first." She seems strangely subdued as she says this before reaching into the female's Reaping ball for the one slip of paper.

"Katniss Everdeen!" Silence. All the citizens begin looking around and searching for her. "Katniss Everdeen!" Effie calls again. Still no response. Thread tenses on stage. _This is mandatory attendance…. where the devil is she?_

Hoping for someone, anyone, to step forward, Effie calls out, "The Victors of District 12!" None of the three victors step forward. But a Peacekeeper soon appears at the edge of the square.

"They're gone!" he cries. Thread stands from his chair, fuming in disbelief and rage, as the square descends into chaos. Realizing their victors made a successful escape, the entire district rises up and begins to fight the Peacekeepers.

It is not very long before the whole of District 12 burns…


	4. Chapter 4: The Wasteland

**Chapter 4: The Wasteland**

We walk all through the night that first night and through most of the next day. By noon, we are exhausted, but press on. As we march through some tall grass, Gale frowns.

"We're sure to leave footprints on this terrain." He makes a quick decision after glancing over to his left at the river we've been following. "We need to cover our tracks." He holds up a hand for silence.

"OK, everyone! We're going to need to lose our tracks, so I say we walk these next several miles in the river. Then we can cross over!"

"Do we have to cross _just_ here?" Prim complains.

Gale looks up from where he's been fiddling with his pant leg. "It's easy! Roll your pant legs and hike them up over your knees. Then you can take off your shoes or other clothes and carry them over your head."

Prim still looks unsure.

"It's better than walking around for hours in _wet_ clothes," Peeta points out to her. My little sister nods. We set about rolling up our pant legs, taking off our shoes.

"Wait, what about our socks?" Rory wants to know.

"Leave them on, kid," Haymitch orders. "One piece of wet clothing is better than getting hypothermia. Besides, I have something that might help." He digs around in his pack before pulling out a plastic bag filled with balls of white fluff. I step closer for a better look.

"Is that wool?" I ask.

"Yup. I bartered them off the Goat Man. Lied and said I needed to re-stuff my mattress at home. It'll absorb any water all right." Haymitch deals out the balls of wool to each of us, ordering us to stuff them into our socks. I begin to feel toasty around my toes and we haven't even entered the water yet.

"Everybody ready?" I ask, scanning for my family. "Gale? Mother? Peeta?" I don't see my district partner right away and spin about in a panic. "Peeta!"

"What?" He's standing over by a tree. It looks like he's whittling something.

"What are you doing?"

He straightens with a boyish smile. "Look! I fashioned a walking stick!"

I can't help but smile and shake my head in amusement.

"All right, everyone! Shake a leg! We'd better keep moving," my mother orders.

Tentatively, we all step into the stream. Someone immediately yelps.

"Holy shit, that's cold!" Peeta squeaks, sloshing faster through the water and moving right past me, his walking stick smacking the current. I share a look with Gale and we snicker.

"Bread Boy's been around ovens too long. He'd better get used to the cold."

"He is," I reassure my best friend. "There were plenty of cold nights in the arena."

"Yeah, and do you really think he felt any of that? He was cuddled up next to you every night," Haymitch grumbles as he shuffles between us.

I blush scarlet and try not to notice Gale look away.

* * *

Hours pass like this. Eventually, everyone – even Peeta – gets used to the cold water. Even then, there's only so much we can take. It is maybe an hour after nightfall, and I can see some of our group getting tired. Prim is trudging along.

"When can we set up camp?" she whines. "I wanna go to sleep."

"Here, Prim. Get on my shoulders. Urrr….. Up you get," Peeta coaches, continuing on with my baby sister, riding piggy back. I smile at the sight. Peeta showing such love for my precious sibling warms my heart.

But the warmth is not enough to keep the cold of my feet at bay.

"We'd better get out of this water soon, or we will get hypothermia, wool or no wool!" I call out to nobody in particular.

"Look! Up ahead!" Rory points just beyond us. Silhouetted by the moon is a fallen log, lying right across the riverbed. Mother sees it, too.

"Let's set up camp by that log, and then we'll cross over in the morning!" she orders. As soon as we are close enough, we all leap out of the water and begin to set up camp. Peeta and Gale go off in search of bramble to make a small fire. Prim, Mother and Rory begin to empty the packs. Haymitch sits on the edge of the fallen log and pulls out a flask. I keep watch, my bow at the ready.

Pretty soon, the boys come back with an armload each of firewood.

"Don't put too much on the fire," my mother warns them. "We only need enough to warm our feet, but we can't risk too much smoke and be spotted by Capitol aircraft."

I begin to wonder about that. No aircraft were seen today, but by now the district surely knows we're missing and will have sent out such precautions to search for us. I look to the trees on the river's opposite bank, and long for their cover right now, instead of having to wait until morning.

"Damn!"

I jump, having almost never heard my mother curse. "What's wrong?"

"I only packed two blankets. There won't be enough for each of us." She hands one of them to me. "You and Prim can have them."

I shake my head. "No way. You and Prim take them; I'll be keeping watch anyway…."

"Katniss can share with me when she's not on watch," Peeta offers. I look to him and he glances away. I can see his blush in the moonlight. "That is…. if you want to."

I am touched by his kindness, so I nod. "Of course. Thanks, Peeta." I ignore Gale make some kind of grunt as he lays out his bedroll.

One by one, my companions fall asleep. I stand by the log and keep watch for the next few hours. The night is still, only broken by the occasional hooting of an owl. Out here, with only my bow and my loved ones beside me, I feel the freest I have ever been from the Capitol.

My vigil is broken in what seems like no time at all by a "Pssst! Catnip!" I turn to see Gale, ready with his bow. "I'm up. Go get some sleep."

I nod and proceed to Peeta's sleeping form. Normally, I would feel awkward sleeping with a boy in any environment, but Peeta and I have shared my bed on the Capitol train and a cave during most of our nights in the arena. Out here under the stars, it doesn't feel any different from the latter. I have to nudge my pretend lover slightly to get under the covers, and it wakes him.

"Huh….?"

"Move over. Gale's on watch now."

Peeta nods, yawning, and scoots over to make room. Without any words, he holds out his arms and I don't hesitate to go into them. Enveloped in his warmth and underneath the blanket, I feel cocooned. Safe. Secure.

I adore watching Peeta sleep. His blonde curls dip just along his forehead in a way that just begs for me to push it back. And the moonlight here especially accentuates his just-as-blonde eyelashes, full and long in a way that most girls in the district would kill for. Gazing at him, I have never seen truer beauty. Remembering his adorable charm when fashioning his walking stick, or the way he carried my sister, I dare to kiss his lips. He does not stir.

"Sweet dreams, my dandelion in the spring," I murmur – a nickname I hope to one day share with him, if I pluck up the nerve. With that, I doze off in his strong arms.


	5. Chapter 5: The Boar's Head Carol

**Chapter 5: The Boar's Head Carol**

When I wake, I find Peeta staring down at me with that small smile of his, still holding me. Realizing how pressed up against him I am – one of my legs is even draped over his – I scoot away slightly, blushing.

"Sorry." Before I can object, he kisses my nose.

"Never apologize for making me feel so loved." My heart does a tap dance at his words, but it is quickly doused when a spray of water literally douses us.

I gasp in utter shock, now hearing peals of laughter. "Come on, you two lovebirds! Get up! Camp won't pack itself!" Rory cackles.

"Rory Hawthorne! You leave Peeta and my sister alone!"

"Aw, come on, Primrose! I didn't hurt them!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not! And what did I tell you about calling me Primrose?"

I look to Peeta, wondering how he took the unexpected bath, but he's only laughing.

"Come on, we'd better help." He gets to his feet, then holds out his hand, pulling me up.

Just as we are finishing the last of the packing and preparing to cross the log, I hear a roar from off in the distance. Frowning, I kneel to the earth and feel it rumble underneath my hand. The tremor seems to be coming in our direction. I hear another roar and my eyes go wide.

"BEAR!" I scream in warning. Gale and Peeta look back from where they have just been preparing to cross the log. Haymitch, remarkably already plastered drunk, panics.

"Oh, shit!"

"Move it, man! Come on, move it!" Gale hollers, shooing Peeta out onto the log. The boys nimbly start to scramble over as Mother and Rory make for the crossing, Rory pulling Prim by the hand. I run to Haymitch as another roar – much closer now – splits the air.

"Get up, Haymitch! Damn it! Get up!" I scream. But the old drunk is in the fetal position, hands over his ears.

"I don't wanna, Katniss!" I vaguely wonder if he is having a flashback or something to his own Games, but another roar from the impending bear and now crashing of trees shakes the thought loose.

"WE'RE GONNA DIE, DAMMIT! GET UP!" I haul him to his feet at last and shove him towards the log. "Go! Move it!" Chancing a glance back, I can see trees falling as the bear begins to come into view along the edge of the underbrush. I force Haymitch onto the log.

By now, Peeta and Gale are about three-quarters of the way across, running as quick as they can without falling over into the river. Mother and the children are at the halfway point. The boys reach the other side and leap gracefully to the bank, before turning to help the others. Haymitch and I begin to jog across – well, stumble might be a better word, as I am supporting the drunken old man. The bear is now charging us; if he gets on the log, it'll collapse and we all go in the water! I try to run faster, the others now calling encouragement to us.

"Run, Haymitch! Run, man! Come on, move your ass, man!" Gale roars.

"Haymitch, go! RUN!" I scream at him. The bear is almost to the log; it'll get on any moment!

We are almost to the other side when I hear a sickening crack. Seizing Haymitch by the armpits, I fling us both to the opposite bank. We land in a heap and turn back just in time to see the log split in half, flinging the bear into the river with a roar. It lies still in the low water, and I am beginning to wonder if it's dead. No, can't be – just unconscious. But I don't want to wait and find out.

All at once, Peeta smothers my lips as he kisses me. I indulge him, patient as I am to keep going, but when he doesn't let up, I have to pull away.

"Mmmmmm… Later! Bear. In the river. Let's go!"

Peeta flushes. "Sorry. Just… could have lost you back there." He then turns to a still-out-of-it Haymitch and whacks him upside the head. "And you? Next time, don't get drunk before eight in the morning!"

I laugh, as sorry as I am for all of us beating up on poor Haymitch. Remembering the bear, we scramble to our feet and take off into the trees just beyond.

* * *

The next several days pass without incident. The forest we are in is deep, but we keep moving. Sure as the crow flies, I estimate by the end of the week that we are at least a hundred miles outside of District 12. Gale and I hunt along the way, felling game that we cook over small fires later. Peeta and Rory are careful to keep these burns very controlled, lest smoke alert any Capitol aircraft. However, we haven't seen any so far. And even if there was smoke, the trees provide plenty cover.

"Does it bother any of you that we haven't seen anything or anyone looking for us yet?" I voice to my companions one afternoon just before lunch. Looking up from where he is coaxing the fire, Peeta shrugs.

"Maybe they haven't discovered we're missing yet. Knock on wood!" and he superstitiously raps his knuckle on some unused kindling by his feet. His boyish grin puts me at ease and I smile.

Suddenly, the peaceful moment is interrupted by a scream. I snap my head around, instinctively reaching for my bow. Gale is already on his feet.

"Damn that Haymitch! I told him not to go too far when gathering for berries!" my friend swears.

Moments later, the underbrush bursts apart to reveal Haymitch, running toward us and crying like a little baby. If it weren't so serious, I'd burst out laughing.

"It's a….a…..a….a…."

"Yeah, we know, Haymitch – bear!" Prim shrugs, employing the inside joke we have used to tease Haymitch over his suddenly new fear of bears after our encounter at the river.

A sudden mix between a roar and a squeal makes us take pause.

"I don't think that's a bear…." Peeta says slowly.

No. But it's close. We're off by just one letter. A wild boar is what actually bursts from the foliage, charging full steam towards us.

"Gale!" I call. We ready our bows and fire, one right after the other. Gale hits the thing in its chest and I nail its ear, but the boar keeps coming.

"Prim! Rory! Run!" my mother screams. The boar is coming right at Gale and me. Suddenly, Peeta leaps in front of me, pushing me to the ground. I look up to see him get into what looks like a wrestling stance and brace for impact.

The boar collides with Peeta; both man and beast tumble to the ground. Instantly, Peeta is on the thing, wrestling it into a headlock. I have only seen that animalistic rage in his eyes once before – in the Games. His arena instincts are surfacing.

There's a CRACK followed by a vicious squeal as Peeta snaps the boar's neck like a twig. Silence follows as Peeta pushes the corpse off him and struggles to his feet. He winces in pain.

"Peeta!" I am at his side in a second, but he waves me off.

"Just got a tusk in the stomach. I'll get over it."

"Prim! Get the herbs from my pack! We need to salve the cuts!" Mother orders. "Peeta, off with your shirt! The wound needs to air out."

I have to help Peeta peel off his shirt; the bottom half is already soaking with blood. I try not to stare at the horrible gash that has appeared in Peeta's stomach. Hell, I try to ignore the rippling muscles in his otherwise perfect chest as he lowers himself to the ground again and my mother and Prim attend to him. Rory stands at attention, for once ready to do whatever he is told or grab whatever the Healers in my family need.

I turn back to Gale, and am taken aback to actually see concern in his eyes. "Will he be all right?"

I look back to Peeta, and can't help having the ghost of a grin creep up on my face. "Peeta's much stronger than even I give him credit for. Then again, he _did_ survive an entire arena. He'll be fine."

I move on to Haymitch, who is now by our fire, looking paler than I've seen him in a while. He glances up to me and grimaces sheepishly. "Tell Peeta that I'm sorry. I guess I should let you and Mr. Hunstman- " he gestures to Gale. "- take care of the wild animals from now on."

I ruffle his hair affectionately. "Sure, old man."

* * *

Later that night, the boar is cooking over a fresh fire. The meat is tasty and full. We all wash it down with fresh water from the river, except for Haymitch, who supplements with liquor. Pretty soon, he is inebriated enough that she starts singing a random drinking song – which happens to feature a boar:

"The boar's head, in hand bear I, Bedeck'd with bays and rosemary. And I pray you, my masters, be merry. _Quot etis in convivio!_ "

In the firelight, I can see Gale not even trying to hide a smirk. Even Rory and Prim are stifling giggles. I turn to Peeta.

"What _is_ he singing?"

Peeta shrugs, a grin on his face. "Not sure. The tune sounds vaguely familiar, though…. Peacekeepers sometimes sing it this time of year." He leans over to me conspiratorially. "Heck, if Haymitch keeps it up, maybe he'll attract more boars and we won't go hungry for weeks!"

I can't help but giggle at the thought of using Haymitch as bait. This one boar is going to be worth several meals, at least…

* * *

 **A/N: So the scene with the bear was based off of the iconic train trestle sequence in Rob Reiner's "Stand by Me", starring the late River Phoenix. Much of the dialogue matches. I thought it would make for exciting survival!**


	6. Chapter 6: Are We Alone?

**Chapter 6: Are We Alone?**

Peeta's wounds heal at a good enough rate, thanks to my mother and Prim stitching up his gash. A pretty impressive scar is left across his stomach, which I actually find quite…. sexy. Since he did save me, I reward my Boy with the Bread by giving him a long kiss in thanks.

We continue through the woods for the next several days, until I notice that the space between the trees is getting wider and wider. I hold up a hand to stop our party.

"I think we're coming to the edge of the tree line." I fear that we may have arrived at the outskirts of another district, though which one I can't be sure. Maybe District 11….

"Haymitch," I order. "Scout ahead."

The old drunk pulls his trusty knife. "Aye-aye, sweetheart." He disappears into the foliage. Gale sidles up next to me.

"You sure he's not going come running back with some other beast at his tail?" Smirking, I swat his arm.

"Boars, bears. What's he gonna lure to us next? A chicken?"

Gale sniggers. "Oh, and for the record, District 11 is _that_ way." He points back in the direction we've come. "Did you even pay attention in Geography class?"

"Oh, shut up."

Haymitch does return to us as calm as can be, no animals in sight. But he is bringing something, though….

"I don't think we're alone out here," he tells us, and the somberness to his voice forces me to take him seriously for once.

Gale straightens. "Who did you see?"

"No one, boy, but I did see some things that are definitely man-made. Whoever is or was here, they know the land. They know how to navigate the rivers….." He holds out the object in his right hand. "And look. It's food!"

The boys form a circle near him, staring at the golden rod of foodstuff in his hand, covered by green leaves.

"What is it?" Peeta wonders aloud.

"It's better than hard tack and gruel, that's for sure," Haymitch bets.

"I like gruel!" Rory pipes up, somewhat unhelpfully.

Frowning, I stalk over to the men and snatch the…. whatever-food-it-is from Haymitch.

"They don't want to feed us, you ninnies! They want to kill us! Or they probably will, if we run into any."

"Then let's proceed with caution, wherever we're going," Mother advises. "Wild animals we can deal with. People…."

We all nod. With Haymitch leading the way, we cautiously step through the trees until we emerge into a clearing.

It's not entirely unlike the clearing where we crossed on the log. There is another river, only now with a bigger and faster current. No logs in sight, though. But there are some curious hollowed out slabs of wood that resemble some kind of boat….

I bristle when I realize that the grass has reached up to practically my chest. Except it isn't grass. It's yellow and has a certain kind of fluff to it….

"Wheat!" Prim cries joyfully.

Indeed, we have wandered right into a wheat field, prime and ready for harvesting. It is beautiful, glinting in the spring day. Off to my left, I can see another plot of tilled land with stalks carrying the same food Haymitch brought back to us.

"I think that might be corn growing there," Peeta whispers to me, nodding to the plot beyond. "I remember we would get ears of it sometimes during Parcel Day in the district."

I return the nod, remembering.

We finally emerge from the wheat field and approach the river. Gale, his bow already fitted with an arrow, scans up and down the banks. "Where's a fallen log when you need one?" he grouses.

"Maybe we _don't_ need one!" I look further up the bank on my right to see that Rory has found the boat things. There are even oars beside them. "These…. whatever-they-are look safe enough to float!"

Haymitch joins him, brow creased in thought, as if he's trying to recall something. "If I'm not mistaken….. these contraptions are called _canoes_. I remember seeing the fisherman in District 4 use them while on my Victory Tour."

"Can they even make it across in this current?" my mother worries, watching the fast-flowing water. "And even if they could, what would we be aiming for?"

"That!" Prim points to the opposite bank. High on a slope is the mouth of a cave. I can tell even from here that it is probably pretty big and pretty deep. I look around to the others and nod, signaling that we should go for it.

There are only two canoes, but both look long enough to carry several people each. I get into one with Mother and Prim; Haymitch, Peeta, Gale and Rory commandeer the other. Mother and I man the oars, and we begin to paddle across the fast river. Peeta and Gale row fast enough to keep pace with us, eventually even surpassing us and reaching the opposite bank first. They pull their canoe onto land and safety before guiding us to a relatively safe docking point and helping us all out.

Then, while the rest wait below, Peeta, Gale and I trek up the slope to the mouth of the cave. Gale enters first, armed with his bow, and Peeta follows with a knife in his hand. I wait by the entrance.

"Hello?" Gale calls. "Anybody here?" There is a long bout of eerie silence.

"Anyone there, Gale?" Peeta asks.

"If anybody was here….. they'd have answered long before this."

"Well, then it's just as I was telling Haymitch! If no one's here to claim it, that means it's ours! By Panem law!" Peeta turns back to me. I shrug and shake my head.

"Panem law doesn't exist out here, Peeta. But all the same, we can make it work for our purposes."

The three of us head back down the slope and join up with the others. All look up.

"What did you find?"

I grin at them. "I think we just found home."


	7. Chapter 7: Fall Asleep with Me Tonight

**Chapter 7: Fall Asleep with Me Tonight**

Our first night in the cave is less than ideal.

A huge thunderstorm rolls in just after our meager dinner, dumping biblical amounts of rain with such force that the wind blows droplets sideways.

The cave itself is expansive, with enough caverns for each person to have their own room. There's also a main chamber, which will likely be our dining room, a smaller one off to the right that's perfect for a kitchen and a third that actually features a pool, filled by water from the stalactites above. That will be a communal bathroom.

It isn't long before the others have each claimed a bedroom cavern, set out their bedrolls and gone to sleep. I remain awake on watch, but Peeta is also up. I observe him as he stares out at the torrential rain just beyond our cave.

"Shouldn't you get some sleep?" I ask. He shakes his head.

"I can't. Not without you." He glances back and smiles softly. "Having you there…. It's like some kind of drug. You chase any nightmares away and then appear in my dreams."

 _He dreams about me?_ I think, surprised. I don't know why I am this shocked. I shouldn't be. Peeta has dreamed of being with me since we were five. He loves me. Then I realize with a shock as I naturally finish the thought, as if it has been structured that way my whole life.

 _…..and I love him, too._

Taking a deep breath, I stride over to Peeta, turn him to face me. "Maybe…. we don't need to be in a dream to find contentment."

I drape my arms around his neck and play with the nape of his hair. Seemingly, unwittingly, Peeta's eyes flutter close. I press my lips into his, gently at first and then increasing in desperation. Peeta wraps his arms around my slender waist and pulls me close. I deepen the kiss, probing my tongue with his. I can feel his arousal pressed right up into me, but unlike before when we would fall asleep spooning each other, I do not fear it. In fact, I _welcome_ it.

Feeling bold, I run a hand over the stiff bulge there. "Uhhh…" Peeta groans against my mouth. Then, abruptly, his hands are squeezing my butt and then he is hoisting me by my thighs into the air. Spinning on the spot, he slams us back into the cave wall. All I can do is wrap my legs around his waist, before I feel his pelvis frantically hump mine. I can feel his straining member slapping against me, and I gasp into Peeta's mouth, breaking our kiss.

He attacks my neck like a man possessed, still dry-humping me. I stare at the cave ceiling, allowing him better access, before I suddenly feel my chin being yanked down to his eye-level.

"I want to watch you as I fuck your pussy!" Peeta growls. There is an almost angry power radiating off him, so sexy that I let out an airy yelp and feel wetness burst and pool between my legs, soaking my underwear.

Letting him know how turned on I am, I yank his face back into a deep kiss, a full- blown make-out session. Peeta guides us back into an empty cavern with remarkable skill despite his prosthetic leg, and flings us down on his ready-made bedroll. I lie there, eyes coming unfocused and blurry, panting, as I feel Peeta strip me of my clothes…..

Hours later, we are still making love – a tangle of sweaty limbs and skin. My hands claw at the cave wall before returning to his back, feeling the ripples pulsate between the muscles of his shoulder blades as he works to thrust into me. Even if our sex is frenzied, our kisses are tender. My lips smack against his with a feather-like tenderness, and we gaze into each other's eyes.

When Peeta finally comes inside me for the third, fourth time (I've lost count), we grow limp, spent, falling asleep in other's naked embrace.

* * *

It is a few weeks before I feel the nausea.

One minute, I am perfectly fine, preparing meals with Mother and Prim, then the next minute, I am running outside to throw up in the nearest bushes. The third time this happens, I see my mother give me a sad look when I return, before holding out a simple slip of paper. Understanding dawns on my face. I can't be….

But I am. The pregnancy test comes back positive. I am carrying Peeta's baby.

That first night, I wail and scream and sob while Prim and Mother hold me, keeping the men well enough away. I never wanted this. Whether we were in the Capitol's clutches or not, this is no world in which to be rearing a child. Peeta is finally allowed to see me, and when I tell him, he does not judge or place blame anywhere. Like the gentleman that he is, he instantly gets down on one knee. He may not have a ring yet, but he doesn't mind.

"Katniss Everdeen, I once promised you I'd follow you anywhere. Whether we are with child or without, in the wilderness or not, I will follow you into whatever next stage awaits us in this life. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

"Yes," I croak out through my tears, flinging myself into his arms and kissing him.

Thank God for him. Thank God for Peeta.

* * *

Our wedding is held on a beautiful spring day outside, days after Peeta proposed. I am not quite at my 17th birthday.

But age does not matter as Gale graciously walks me down the aisle to meet Peeta, where Rory stands as his Best Man, Haymitch at a crudely fashioned altar ready to perform the ceremony.

Just as Gale places my hand in Peeta's and gives me away, a rumble from the sky makes us all look up.

"Oh, great," Haymitch growls. "All right! Let's make this quick! Double time! Let's go! Katniss, do you love Peeta? Yeah, sure. Peeta, do you love Katniss? Of course you do! Moving on!"

Peeta and I are fumbling putting the rings on each other's fingers as we struggle to keep up with Haymitch's record-breaking sermon. The old drunk clears his throat.

"By the power vested in me as the Victor of the 50th Annual Hunger Games, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Peeta sweeps me into his arms and kisses me passionately. I return it with a smile and to much applause from Mother and Prim. Another thunder rumble, closer now.

"Run for it!" Haymitch yells, abandoning the altar and sprinting for the cave, but it's too late. The heavens open up, breaking Peeta's and my kiss. I laugh, soaking wet and not caring, as I rest in the arms of my new husband, the only man I'll ever love, kissing him until our lips are sore.


	8. Chapter 8: Twitterpated

**Chapter 8: Twitterpated**

The months pass. Our blended family sets to work fortifying our cave home. Despite my pregnancy, I still head off with Gale into the woods, Rory now coming with us. We teach the boy how to shoot until he is as accomplished as his older brother. Only then is he allowed to venture farther afield.

That's when he discovers the abandoned town.

Much like the agrarian settlement that we stumbled upon (and no one has come to claim back from us), these ruins look like they could have been as advanced as the areas of District 12 or any other district. On a second trip in which Peeta and Haymitch go with Rory, the men report back to me that there are tons of abandoned supplies, all for the taking. So begin the trips back and forth down the river; Gale, Peeta, Haymitch and Rory taking the canoes down to the Ghost District, as we call it, then returning with at least one, if not both, full or partially filled with accouterments: a washer, a dryer, even a stove. The smoke from the latter is manipulated to go up a crevice in the cave roof, creating a sort of chimney.

Mother and Prim gather the harvest from this first year, and as the months drag on, consult my father's old plant book to learn how to farm on their own.

Summer starts to fade. I begin to show around my belly, and I can't go as far into the woods with Gale anymore. Rory takes my place and is an able substitute.

Anything that we cannot readily get from the Ghost District, we have to build on our own. Old bricks from the deserted houses are steadily gathered to build a fire pit, a brick-oven, and a smoker nestled into a dug-out side of the hill. There will even be a kind of awning, to protect from the rain. Once finished, my husband will get to bake to his heart's content.

Peeta and Gale set to work early on in my pregnancy fashioning beds for everyone in the family. Peeta and I, of course, get top priority. Teaching themselves woodworking, the boys – sometimes with Haymitch helping them - manage to chop down trees and harvest the lumber, manipulating them into beautiful structures that get better with each iteration. Soon, separate beds are crafted for Mother, Haymitch and Gale. By the time November rolls around, another will be almost finished.

"Isn't that structure a little too big for Rory?" I ask, watching Peeta, Gale and Haymitch work from my perch on the completed fire pit. Peeta glances about, as if afraid of being overheard, before whispering to me:

"We're hoping it won't be just for Rory."

"Yeah," Gale grunts as he saws away at a slab of wood. "Cause if we get our wish, that means one less bed we have to risk making in the snow that's weeks away from coming!"

I'm about to ask what they're talking about when I hear shouting coming from all the way at the top of the slope, near the mouth of the cave. From where he's hammering in nails at the base of the bed, Haymitch groans and takes a swig from his flask. "Here we go again…."

Prim comes flouncing down the slope, her blonde hair bounding behind her, as Rory scrambles to keep up.

"Come on, Primrose! Why can't you see my side of it for once?"

Prim wheels around. "Rory Hawthorne, what did I tell you about calling me _Primrose_?!"

"Oh, grow up, will you? That's your name, isn't it? It's pretty! But that's beside the point. I don't need you telling me where I can and cannot hunt! I'm 14 years old; I can take care of myself! I don't need you babysitting…."

Peeta mumbles something under his breath that I can't quite catch, but I think he says, "Oh, for crying out loud, just kiss her already…."

Prim stamps her foot. "Ooooooooooh! You are without a doubt, the rudest, most uncouth, _roughest_ man I've ever met!"

Suddenly, she grabs him and kisses him hard on the mouth. My own mouth falls open in utter astonishment, and I can see the other men look just as stunned, yet are trying to hold back glee at the same time.

Prim breaks the kiss so violently, she stumbles back into a tree. "Oh my God…." she breathes. She jumps on Rory and kisses him again, and I hear somebody (I think it's Peeta) give an awkward laugh.

Rory responds to this second kiss quickly, pulling my sister close. His hands start to wander.

"If he touches her where he shouldn't, so help me, I'll kill him!" Gale growls, and stalks forward to break it up. I hold him back, surprised I didn't think to say that myself.

Prim and Rory are full-blown making out now, but thankfully, the younger Hawthorne boy keeps his hands where they are appropriate. Peeta and Haymitch look at each other, smirking in triumph.

"Welp. That's one less bed we have to make, freezing our asses off in the snow!" the drunk cackles. I can't help but laugh right along with him.

* * *

The New Year comes, and soon after, I feel my water break. Thankfully, my family has been readying for this day for months. I am quickly put in Peeta's and my bed while Mother and Prim flit about, preparing their Healer supplies for the birth. The Hawthorne boys and Haymitch wait outside.

After hours of sweating, screaming, and pushing (and cursing Peeta, promising to never let him touch me again, though I don't mean it), a baby's wail is heard as my first child is born.

"It's a girl, Katniss!" I hear my mother call through the haze. I can tell she's trying not to cry.

Peeta kisses my sweaty forehead, then my lips. A bundle is pressed into my arms and we stare down at our daughter.

"Clementine," I get out, giving her the name I had decided on months ago. Mother turns to Prim.

"Prim, you can let the boys in now." Haymitch, Gale and Rory come stampeding into the room. All they can do is stare in wonder. Rory turns to his brother.

"Can you believe it? Katniss had a baby!"

Gale just chuckles. "I guess it _is_ a miracle!"

* * *

"I FORBID IT!" Mother shrieks.

She is sitting at our kitchen table surrounded by me, Gale, Peeta and Haymitch. I am nursing eight-month-old Clementine. Gale tries to placate my mother.

"Heather, be reasonable. They've been sleeping in the same bed together for months…."

"Yes, and probably doing God-knows-what else!" Mother rants.

"Which is why they're so scared and they suggested _we_ broach the idea with you…." Peeta starts.

"My answer is no! They're…. they're 14! They're not old enough!"

"And Rory's almost 15; his birthday's in a few weeks…." I remind her.

"I don't care!"

"Heather, Katniss was almost 17 when we got married…" Peeta jumps in again.

"…..because she was pregnant! That's the _only_ reason I agreed to the wedding in the first place! Prim isn't pregnant, thank God!" She wags her finger between my husband, Gale and Haymitch. "Just because you three were…. lay-abouts and played Matchmaker with them so you could get out of making another bed…."

" _Lay-abouts?!_ " Haymitch gawks at my mother, clearly insulted. He turns to the others. "Hear that, boys? We considerately decided not to risk dying of hypothermia cutting down more trees in winter, and she thinks we're _lay-abouts_!" He turns back to Mother. "As for playing Matchmaker, we didn't do any such thing! Only a fool wouldn't have noticed the sexual tension between those two! We were just…. hedging our bets, is all."

"For heaven's sake, Haymitch Abernathy, this is young love we're talking about, not one of those money-grubbing sessions gambling on tributes in the arena!"

Haymitch doesn't like this comment at all, but he can only stick his tongue out at my mother, pouting like a little kid.

Just then, Rory and Prim tentatively step into the cave. Prim flashes a crude diamond ring that Rory salvaged from the Ghost District. Even if worn, I want to cry; it looks so beautiful on my sister's finger. Rory puts an arm around her.

"We'd prefer to have your blessing, Mrs. Everdeen," he states calmly. "But if we can't, we'll have to go off together and elope."

That's got her. Mother stares at them, speechless for a moment. Her eyes seek out Prim, who stares back at her pleadingly. The older woman finally sighs, her eyes filling with tears. "All right."

Prim launches herself at Mother, hugging her tight. Gale, Peeta and Haymitch give handshakes to Rory all around.

Our family will soon be a little tighter…..


	9. Chapter 9: Paradise

**Chapter 9: Paradise**

They play along the riverbank. As I rock the baby in my arms, I smile at my husband and little daughter as they explore and frolic. Peeta is showing Clementine how to pick dandelions. She claps her hands with glee and then swats at her Daddy playfully. Peeta's beautiful laughter reaches my ears as he pretends to be affronted. I smile softly. Just then, a whimper alerts me that my son has just woken up.

"Oh, ssssshhhhhh, sssshhhhhhh…" I soothe him, bouncing him in my arms before smiling down at him tenderly. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Of course, my youngest child cannot answer me quite yet, but I continue unabated. "I have nightmares too," I confess. I try not to think of those nights I wake up still, after nearly four years of freedom, in a cold sweat over some flashback from Peeta's and my Games. "Someday I'll explain it to you. Why they came…. Why they won't ever go away. But I'll tell you how I survive it. I make a list in my head of all the good things I've seen someone do. Every little thing I can remember. It's like a game. I do it over and over. Gets a little tedious after all these years, but…. there are much worse games to play."

I glance up to see my daughter throw herself into her father's arms. She's just a toddler, 3 years old, but already so full of life. I smile at their obvious joy before rising and heading up the slope to our cave. Passing through the naturally formed rooms, I reach Peeta's and my room before placing our son in the bassinet – naturally carved, just like all our furniture - at the foot of our bed. I then double-back into the cavern that serves as our kitchen and begin to fix lunch. I hear footsteps and giggling as people approach the mouth of the cave.

"Clementine, why don't you go find Auntie Prim and Uncle Rory?" I hear Peeta's voice ask. Scampering of feet off into the distance. I wait, expecting my husband to come to me.

In a moment, I feel his arms encircle me from behind, his lips on the pulse point of my neck. My eyes flutter close and I lean into his muscular frame, even as I try to concentrate on the soup I'm stirring.

"Peeta….. not now….." I whine. "I'm cooking lunch….."

"Just one more kiss, then I'll go," he whispers huskily. He plants feather-like kisses down my neck and to my shoulder. His hands begin to wander. "Eric asleep?"

"He's in our room," and I try not to gasp out the response as I feel Peeta's hand pull up the hem of my dress. I turn my face into his and give him a tender kiss.

"I love you," I sigh, smiling.

He smiles back. "I know. But…. sometimes, I forget. Would you mind…. showing me?" I feel his hand cup the junction between my legs and stroke it. I am almost embarrassed by the girly, breathy gasp elicited from me, its vibrato tickling my vocal chords.

I twist around in Peeta's embrace, placing my hands on his chest. "Behave," I tell him mock-sternly, smirking. To placate him, I kiss him chastely, then stand on tiptoes and whisper in his ear, "You'll have plenty of me tonight…."

Peeta gives me a deep kiss, and I hum into his mouth in pleasure. "Mmmm…"

He pulls away. "Can't wait," he whispers back, before leaving. I smile after him before returning to my work.

What a dreamy life!


	10. Chapter 10: Return to Reality

**Chapter 10: Return to Reality**

There have been close calls over the years. Sightings of Capitol hovercraft that force us to take cover in the cave, even after we became confident they were no longer looking for us.

This one is different. Sequestered in Peeta's and my room, we can hear the aircraft touch down somewhere near Mother and Prim's gardening. The door of wood that was loosely fitted to the mouth of the cave does not block the sound of footsteps that now approach from the hill.

In Peeta's and my bed, our children nestled into me and the rest of my family surrounding the structure, we wait.

We hear the intruders enter our dining room and then move back towards the master bedroom where we lie in wait. The chill from the winter follows them in from the outside.

Then the door to our room slowly opens.

Peeta is in the unwelcome visitor's face in an instant. Brandishing a spear, his beard grown out, he looks like a wild man. The woman he comes close to attacking startles back.

"At ease, Soldier!" she orders my husband. Peeta is unsure what to make of this military order, but after looking back to me, he slowly lowers his weapon. He shakes the woman's hand when it is offered.

"Alma Coin, President of District 13. We have been looking for the missing District 12 Victors for several years. You may not realize it out here, but Panem is in the middle of a revolution. We need you to return to our headquarters and help us unite the districts against the Capitol."

My family shares looks with one another. "What about the Hunger Games?" Rory – now a young man – calls out.

"Oh, they will end. None have taken place since the Third Quarter Quell had Victors compete again. But, the Capitol must fall first."

I nearly faint in horror. Victors returned to the arena? We were smart to run when we did. And now the Capitol is weak….. I square my shoulders.

"You have yourself a deal, Madame President."

* * *

We leave behind what has been our home the last few years, unsure if we will ever return again, no matter how this war ends. We are taken to District 13, where Peeta and I – as the Star Crossed Lovers – film propaganda videos, or "propos", for the rebellion.

Soon, the districts are united and turn on the Capitol, marching on the city and capturing President Snow. I shoot him personally, then quickly shoot President Coin, having always mistrusted her motives. Commander Paylor is elected the new President of Panem, and the rebels return to their homes, including my family to a near-ruined District 12.


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

I didn't really want to have another wedding. After the beautiful ceremony Peeta and I shared in the wilderness, I did not want the Capitol to ruin my memory. But the newly-reformed city insisted, since we are still Panem's Star-Crossed Lovers – with or without the Hunger Games.

The reception is lively, though, and we had a lot of say in what we wanted for our "official" ceremony, as Haymitch likes to call it. What remains of District 12 are all guests and they still know how to have fun, even after the rebellion and war.

Our fellow, surviving Victors are here, too. It is the least Peeta and I could do, since they had to return to another arena with 22 victors total on our account. Off at one table, I can see Peeta, Haymitch, Finnick and Beetee laughing and joking. Haymitch is plastered, as usual, but the other men are also a little tipsy. Finnick raises a glass of champagne, and his voice carries over to me in what sounds like a drinking song. Oh, great….

* * *

"I may not live to see our glory!"

"I may not live to see our glory!" Haymitch and Beetee echo.

"But I've seen wonders great and small."

"I've seen wonders great and small….."

Finnick throws an arm over Peeta's shoulder. "Cause if the Bread Boy can get married….."

"If Peeta Mellark can get married….."

"There's hope for our ass after all!"

"Raise a glass to freedom!" Haymitch slurs before wagging a finger at Peeta. "Something you will never see again!"

"No matter what she tells you!" Beetee chimes in with a chuckle.

"Let's have another round tonight!" Haymitch calls.

"Raise a glass to the four of us!" Beetee agrees. All four chorus: "To the newly non-poor of us!"

"We'll tell the story of tonight!" Haymitch vows. "Let's have another round…."

They are interrupted by another figure coming late to the party. Peeta brightens.

"Well, if it isn't Mister Gale!"

"Mail!" Gale Hawthorne calls, holding up a wedding present.

Peeta embraces him. "I didn't think that you would make it!"

"Not in snow or hail!"

"Gale?!" the other victors stare in disbelief.

"I came to say congratulations!"

"Thought you turned tail, Gale!" Beetee protests, though still happy to see him.

Gale snickers. "I see the whole gang is here…."

Haymitch's mouth deflates into a resting bitch face. "Why don't you bail, Gale?"

Peeta chuckles, slightly embarrassed. "Ignore them. Congrats to you, Lieutenant Colonel! I wish I had your command instead of manning bread and kernels!"

"No you don't….."

"Yes, I do!"

"Now be sensible," Gale admonishes. "From what I hear, you've made yourself indispensable!"

"Well, I heard a tale, you've got a special someone on the side, Gale…." Finnick teases, sidling up to him.

Peeta turns back to Gale, laughing. "Is that so?"

"What are you trying to hide, Gale?"

Gale shrugs away from Finnick, awkwardly smiling. "I should go…."

"No, these guys should go!" Peeta orders. There is an instant uproar.

"What?"

"No!"

"Leave us alone!" Peeta commands.

"Man!" The three victors head to the dance floor.

"It's all right, Gale. I wish you'd brought this girl with you tonight, Gale."

"You're very kind, but I'm afraid it's unlawful, sir."

"What do you mean?"

"She's married."

"I see…."

"She's married to a former Capitol officer."

Peeta blinks. "Oh, shit…."

Gale just laughs. "Congrats again, Peeta, old friend."

Peeta just shakes his head. "I will never understand you. If you love this woman, go get her! What are you waiting for?"

Gale smiles sadly. "I'll see you and Catnip and the children soon."

He leaves, and Peeta turns back to find his wife. What a journey they have all had!

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, the last bit was based on The Story of Tonight (Reprise) from _Hamilton_. I thought it might make for a funny coda!**


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